Wednesday, January 09, 2008

intermittent blogging

Well, I went back to Oklahoma for Christmas and it was quite possibly the best Christmas I've ever had in my entire life!

I had a great time seeing my friends and being back in a place that has come to be my home.

But, while there I gave my computer away to my adopted little sister as she is a freshman at OU and doesn't own a computer and is a commuter. I managed to make it through OU without owning a computer, but I lived in Norman and had ready access to the labs. I can't imagine trying to make it through college without a computer or ready access to the labs. So, I gave her mine.

So, for the time being, the only computer access I have is at my work and I can't really justify using work time or work computers to update my blog.

I will try and update occassionally though.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Ooh, Jesus Crackers!

From one of my favorite blogs, Overheard in Minneapolis...awesome blog that just posts crazy conversations people hear. Some of them are too funny!

Delicious In Potato Soup

Young woman walking out of Christmas Eve Mass: When I was in high school, our senior prank was stealing the communion wine. We stole three huge jugs.

2nd young woman walking with her: Did they get the Jesus crackers too?!

Risen Savior Catholic Church, Burnsville
Overheard by Jesus crackers? Really???

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

My Girl April!

My good friend, April Youpee-Roll, was recently named one of the 15 Most Interesting Seniors at Harvard College! This is something the Harvard Crimson does with every senior class at Harvard College (the undergraduate portion of Harvard University).

I am so proud of her! :o)

If I had a daughter, I could only dream of her turning out like April!
Get the stories about all 15 of the Seniors here, or here for April's story...but, I've posted it below:

15 Most Interesting Seniors: April Youpee-Roll
By: Jay M. Cohen

“My Harvard career has been a very ethnocentric one,” says April Youpee-Roll ’08 with a big smile.

Youpee-Roll, the former president and current alumni coordinator of Native Americans at Harvard College (NAHC), is an enrolled member of the Fort Peck Sioux tribe, the center of her ethnocentric life.

“She has a strong sense of self,” says Mark D. Doolin ’08. “Her Native American identity is at the forefront of how she approaches her academics, her job, her activities—there is no way to separate it from her.”

Doolin adds that Youpee-Roll also has mad skills on the Nintendo Wii.

“She definitely defies the stereotype that girls aren’t good at video games,” Doolin says.

Growing up on Fort Peck Reserve in Poplar, Mont. Youpee-Roll was quickly exposed to the economic struggles of much of the Native American community in the United States. Her mother, Florence, describes the reserve as a “depressed, dysfunctional society where it is hard for kids to grow up and be successful at anything.”

Despite growing up in this poor community—in a single-parent household, to boot—Youpee-Roll says she had plenty of support from her mother and her 11 aunts and uncles. Youpee-Roll’s family has a history of involvement in tribal politics, and she certainly isn’t reserved about getting involved in the Fort Peck Reserve.

Youpee-Roll plans to pursue a law degree and a master’s in public policy with a focus on federal Native American public policy.

This comes as no surprise to her mother. “She always knew that she had to do something to help this place,” she says.

Youpee-Roll’s dedication to her Native American culture doesn’t stop there. In typical Bostonian fashion, Youpee-Roll applies her interests to the city’s defining feature: the Red Sox. Youpee-Roll focuses her attention on Native American Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, whose mother is Navajo.

“If Ellsbury is traded [to the Twins], I’ll have to move to Minnesota,” Youpee-Roll jokes.

Wherever she lives, Youpee-Roll is sure to keep her home and her identity (and perhaps her Wii?) close to her heart.
Photo Courtesy: The Harvard Crimson

Monday, December 17, 2007

I want to like him, but I'm still not sure...

I'm still not sure if he's the real deal or if he's the slickest thing since Clinton I.

The newest Huckabee ad from Iowa...

On the face of it, I like what I'm seeing and hearing. But, you know, Iowa has one of the largest Muslim communities in the country...I wonder what they're thinking?

What are you thinking?

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Christmas Meme...

Here's a Christmas Meme I found floating around the internet...I hereby tag whoever wants to play!

  1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? paper...there just isn't the same excitement when one "rips" open a bag.
  2. Real Tree or Artificial? Right now...no tree. But, if I had one it'd definitely be artificial cause I would get around to vacuuming dead needles until like July.
  3. When do you put up the tree? See #2. But if I had a tree or decorations at all, they would most definitely NOT go up until Christmas Eve!
  4. When do you take the tree down? Feast of the Epiphany. Christmas is not a day, it is a season, and it lasts from Christmas Eve to the Epiphany. I actually get quite stirred up when I start seeing peoples trees in the trash starting on the 26th.
  5. Do you like eggnog? Hells yeah I like eggnog. There's an eggnog made by a local ice cream company that costs $10 for a half gallon here...I haven't broken down and bought it yet, but I want to!
  6. Do you have a Nativity scene? Yes, a friend sent me a Native American Nativity set a few years ago. It's awesome, has a teepee for the manger, and buffalos and horses...it's way cool!
  7. Hardest person to buy for? Definitely Jesus...I mean, it is His birthday after all!
  8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Well, at the chance of sounding unappreciative...when I was a teenager, I wanted what all teenagers want---a car. I specifically wanted a red '65 Mustang. My Grandmother actually wrapped a Mustang Hot Wheels car for me and told me it was my car...that was just mean!
  9. Mail Christmas cards? I buy them every year and never send them. Though I did manage to send two this year.
  10. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story, hands down! "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!"

  11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually about 4:30 on Christmas Eve...Holiday Hell, it's quite the rush!
  12. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? If you mean "regift," I can't remember doing it, but am not opposed to it.
  13. Clear lights or colored? Clear
  14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Peppermint ice cream...where I grew up, it was only available at Christmas.
  15. Favorite Christmas song? Hands down, Adeste Fidelis.

  16. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Usually travel in order to stay at home.
  17. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? No, and I don't want to! Reindeer are scary, scary, scary...I mean, hooved animals shouldn't fly! I think they might just be minions of the Devil!
  18. Angel on tree or star? Angel...it is a Christian Holy Day (i.e. holiday)!
  19. Open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Well, as a Catholic who normally goes to Midnight Mass, I would say after Mass. I guess that would then be Christmas morning...so, Christmas morning.
  20. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Having to witness all kinds of Christmas stuff before Christmas! Refer to #3 & 4.
  21. Best thing about this time of year? All the focus on our Lord and Savior!

Thanks Be to God and Boomer Sooner!

Just because it makes me happy!

Violent Femmes--Blister in the Sun
ca. 1986

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Music Monday

Music Monday
1. Feel It. Black Eyed Peas
2. Guns in the Sky. INXS
3. Dirty Water. Dropkick Murphys
4. Flashlight. George Clinton
5. Where the Streets Have No Name. U2
6. With a Little Help From My Friends. The Beatles
7. The Spicey McHaggis Jig. Dropkick Murphys
8. Sad But True. Metallica
9. XXX's and OOO's (An American Girl). Trisha Yearwood
10. Komsomida. The Bruce Lee Band

The rules for bloggers who want to play:
Get your iPod or media-player of choice set the thing to shuffle, then post the first ten songs that come out. No cheating, no matter how stupid it makes you feel!

Newly Discovered New Favorite Band:
The White Stripes--
WOW! I'd heard of this band before, but hadn't really heard anything they'd done. So, I was doing some searching on iTunes and found them and listened to some of their stuff. It is AMAZING!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Wesabe

OMG! I recently found a site that offers financial accounting/management for free. I've never used Quicken or MSMoney, but if I understand it correctly this site works similarly to those programs.

The site is called
Wesabe and it is a totally secure site where you can upload your financial data and then tag it however you want to. For example I've decided to use the tags "food," "groceries," and "restaurant." Then, once everything is uploaded, I can see how much I'm spending on food overall, and then a breakdown of "groceries" vs. "restaurant". I can actually see (fairly instantly) how much I'm spending to eat at home vs. eating out. Amazing!

Personally, the biggest surprise to me is the amount of money I'm spending on ATM fees. I knew I was spending a fair amount, no real idea how much. Now, I do. It's quite a bit, but part of it is explainable because I don't have a car to easily get to non-fee atms. But, now that I know how much I'm spending I can be more mindful when I am getting cash.

Here's another fantastic thing about Wesabe. You get suggestions and tips from other users who are dealing with the same issues as you and have found sites/stores/tips to help you save money!!!

Again, this is a totally FREE and SECURE site and service. I recommend it HIGHLY!

Anyway, I LOVE this site/service. You should definitely check it out. Here's a general introduction video for Wesabe (you can find more videos about specific functions of Wesabe on the site and on Youtube):

Wesabe website

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hmm

So, I just want to apologize to anyone out there who might inexplicably be regular reader on here. I'm sorry I've been sort of MIA for the past few weeks.

I'm sort of going through a thing right now. Nothing big, just a funk.

I just want to say up front that I love my job. I really, really like what I'm doing. I enjoy getting to work with the students and I'm not sure I would trade that for anything in the world. The students are amazing! And I thank God every day for being allowed to work with them.

That being said...I'm really frustrated with my job right now. I'm frustrated with my department and I'm frustrted with the University.

First the department. I really feel like I'm not a member of a team. I feel like I'm not in on discussions that affect my students and I don't think that's right. Without getting really specific, I just feel that things are happening that affect the students and I'm not even in on the conversation. Things are happening that affect the students A) without their input, and B) without my input. I'm really frustrated by it right now.

I haven't brought this up to my superior yet, partly because I'm really angry about it right now, and need to cool down some. And partly, because I need to get the issues clear in my head before I go to speak about them. I'm getting close, and I think it will be one of the first things I discuss when I get back from break.

Now, on to the University. I cannot get anyone to give me straight answers about how to navigate various issues here (I'm being purposely vague). It really seems like they don't want brown people (read minorities) here. They certainly aren't being helpful when I'm trying to advocate for my students. It's really disheartening, infuriating, and troubling.

Not to be totally rude, but I've never been to a whiter (read caucasian) place in my life! Right now, I think diversity here is a joke. The proverbial "they" talk a big game, but the actuality is quite the opposite.

Again, I really do love my job. But I'm definitely feeling increasingly frustrated.

I don't know if any of this makes any sense whatsoever, but I just needed to clear some things out...even if only marginally and in a roundabout way.

Thanks for listening...reading.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

WTF?

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!